Freed

A police constable accused of killing two demonstrators in Kisumu during the 2008 post-election violence has been acquitted.

Justice Fred Ochieng on Monday ruled that the former officer, Edward Kirui, was not linked to the weapon used to kill the two youths in Kisumu.

Kirui was accused of murdering of Ismail Chacha and William Onyango at Kondele market in Kisumu, on January 16 2008.

The offficer who was captured on video shooting at protesters in February this year put on his defense after it was found that he had a case to answer.

Taking the witness stand in February, Mr. Kirui defended himself against the accusations, saying the officer captured on video shooting the protesters was wearing jungle uniform.

Secondly, he said that before he was arrested, he returned his firearm intact with 36 rounds of ammunition contrary to evidence by the prosecution that his gun was used to shoot the victims.

Mr Kirui also questioned the truthfulness of evidence given by some witnesses who said they saw him at the scene of the crime, arguing that he was never subjected to an identification parade.

21 witnesses testified in the trial.